A First Article Inspection (FAI) is a process. A First Article Inspection Report, or FAIR, is the document that records the results of that process. People use the two terms interchangeably, but FAI is the activity and FAIR is the deliverable. Let’s dive deeper into the two below.
What is an FAI?
First Article Inspection is how you verify that the first production part matches the engineering drawing before you ship a full production run. You measure every characteristic on the drawing: dimensions, tolerances, GD&T callouts, material, and finish. The goal is to catch problems on part one, not part one thousand.
FAI is required across AS9100-certified aerospace supply chains under the AS9102 standard and shows up in similar forms in other regulated industries.
What is a FAIR?
The FAIR is the paperwork that proves the FAI happened. Under AS9102, it’s a specific set of forms, not a generic report:
- Form 1: Part Number Accountability identifies the part, revision, and overall conformance.
- Form 2: Product Accountability covers material, special processes, and testing.
- Form 3: Characteristic Accountability lists every characteristic, its tolerance, and the measured result.
A complete FAIR also includes a ballooned drawing (each characteristic numbered to match Form 3) and the supporting evidence behind the numbers. So when someone asks for “the FAI,” they usually mean the FAIR (the packet a buyer or auditor reviews to confirm the part conforms).
When do you need a full, partial, or delta FAI?
- A full FAI is required the first time a part number is produced, or when everything needs reverification.
- A partial or delta FAI is needed when only some characteristics change. Common triggers include an engineering change, a tooling change, a break in production, or a change in manufacturing source.
A good rule of thumb is to re-verify what’s actually at risk. It’s important to document this logic in your own procedures because auditors expect a repeatable method, not a judgment call made fresh each time.
Why FAIRs get rejected
Most FAIR rejections trace back to manual work: a missed characteristic, a transposed tolerance, a balloon number that doesn’t match Form 3. See Top Five Reasons for an FAI Rejection for the full list.
Software built for this workflow removes most of that manual transcription. GroundControl’s First Article Inspection software extracts characteristics from the drawing, auto-balloons it, and validates measurements against tolerance automatically. If you manage FAIRs across suppliers, Supplier Quality Management software centralizes submissions and checks them against flow-down requirements before they reach a buyer’s desk.
Ready to simplify your FAI process?
GroundControl automates characteristic extraction, ballooning, and tolerance validation so your team produces audit-ready FAIRs faster, with fewer rejections. Book a demo to see how it fits your workflow.
